Today’s entry is a recap of the The NY Lounge at Sundance. There was a whole new concept in the Lounge this year. Tables and chairs were replaced with couches and ottomans so the atmosphere was much more casual. Every morning there was a catered breakfast, with a different sponsor each morning. Guests at the lounge could enjoy a cup of coffee, tea or cider; toast a bagel and relax prior to the day’s panel discussion.
Day one started with our NY Town Hall networking event. Sponsors and guests had an opportunity to collaborate with each other to kick off the week. That afternoon we hosted a Crowdfunding panel with Emily Best (Seed & Spark), Kristen Konvitz (Indiegogo), Dan Schoenbrun (Kickstarter), Sara Kiener (Film Presence), Mike Nichols and Christopher Walker. At 4:00 the music started, we call it the Cider House Sessions with performances by Jocelyn Arndt, Natalie Gelman, Kris Gruen, Motopony, Peppina and Grace Weber. It was a fabulous first day.
The rest of the week followed suit with 2 panels each day; Director of Photography panel, Post on an indie budget, Production, a JVC 4K CAM demo, Production Accounting, Indie Financing, Distribution Trends and finally Music in Film.
The panels were well attended, the information that the experts provided was valuable.
The Cider House Sessions each night were a nice way to cap off a very productive day.
Along the way, I was able to reconnect with the NY Lounge regulars, who look forward to visiting the NY Lounge on Main Street in Park City each year, as well as making new friends and connections with producers whose projects are a good fit for our region.
I can’t forget to mention 2 very special guests that visited the NY Lounge this year, Marilyn O’Conner and Gordy Hoffman; Gordy’s short film DogBowl was screened in one of the short film programs. Congratulations Gordy! Seeing them helped to chase away the homesick blues that I was feeling after a few days.
I will be doing a lot of follow-up for the next few weeks. Stay tuned to this page and our Facebook page for more updates.
